Ah lol I didn’t realise it was the finale, I think we had one less episode than last time!
The ships, surrounded, prepare for battle. Pike issues out commands to the squadrons of shuttles and pods. There is some clever and diverse cutting as the crew prepared and deploys.
Parts of Leland’s ships separate from the main structure to increase the his armada size. The Startfleet ships fire out as the S31 ships fire. Po, who is flying a shuttle, reveals the drone’s shields require targeting from two different ships at a time to be destroyed. A group of drones make a kamikaze run on Discovery, prompting Enterprise to use itself as a shield. An explosion on Discovery knocks down an injures the suit crew, including Staments who is impaled.
The battle sequences are extremely well shot, with a variety of angles depicting the confusing nature and high res models for the ships. The cameras often lock to a ship, grounding us to the battle.
The Red Angel suit is prepared. Burnham steels herself as she joins with the suit. She and Spock give each other a Vulcan salute as he prepares to guide her out there by shuttle. Spock and Burnham leave the ship, as an escort of Starfleet vessels cocoon her from fire. Leland has boarded Discovery and breaks into the science lab – notably he does not successfully kill the bridge crew like in Burnham’s vision.
Burnham and Spock reach a safe distance to activate the wormhole, but Burnham faces an issue getting the system to work. Meanwhile a torpedo embeds itself Enterprise, like in Burnham’s vision freaking her out. A group of work bots depart from the ship’s hull to attempt to repair damage while Cornwall and Number One leave to disarm.
Discovery’s shields are in the signal digits as the S31 ships close in on both vessels. Suddenly a giant Klingon vessel decloaks and rams two S31 vessels, as Siranna leads a squadron of Ba’ul fighters.
Spock realises that all the signals previously encountered were set by Burnham to allow them the tools (Reno, Kelpiens, the crystal, etc.) to break the loop they’re in and defeat Control. Therefore (???) she needs to go back in time to set the first signals, and then she’ll be able to move forward (I think??)
The torpedo embedded in Enterprise has started its countdown, leaving the ship with 15 mins. Burnham jumps, causing a wormhole to open infront of her (it’s a very Interstellar moment with the visuals, which I appreciate). Burnham arrives at the points in the previous parts of the series where the Red Angel appeared, and sets off her signals. Niahm and Georgiou continue to battle Leland as we get an Inception style fight as gravity systems malfunction (I’m guessing the director was a big fan of Nolan films?). Niahm is incapacitated and Leland pursues Georgiou. Further Klingon ships warp in to assist the fight. L’Rell knocks her head, causing her to bleed and make the immensely amazing pun ‘I thought my Chancellor ship was be bloodless’.
Burnham completes her mission. Georgiou traps Leland in the spore drive, while Pike and Cornwall attempt to disarm the torpedo, but with no other options Cornwall does the sacrifice move and manually shuts the door, trapping herself inside and killing her. Spock’s ship is disabled, requiring him to stay behind. Spock thanks Burnham for allowing her to guide him between his two worlds, and fears without her he will not be able to balance his two sides. Burnham advises that there will always be people reaching to help him – to let them. Spock beams back to the Enterprise as she jumps to the future, leading Discovery. ControlledLeland screams as a giggling Georgiou watches the nanobots be destroyed under the magnetised spore drive.
Tyler, Number One, Pike and Spock are interrogated about events that day, all testifying that Discovery was destroyed. Tyler is promoted to the commander of Section 31. Spock recommends that all mention of Discovery must be made state secrets, including its spore drive. Enterprise is repaired as Spock reveals in his personal log that their family have promised to not mention Burnham to others. Spock stares out to the stars ever night for the signal, as he shaves and puts on his uniform again (Ethan Peck shaved looks even less Nimony and more like Quellek from Galaxy Quest), as the seventh signal is detected. The Enterprise warps away to its next mission.
Interesting that the end of the season is on Discovery stranding itself in the future. Does this mean season 3 is set after the events of previous Trek series?
It would be very interesting to see where that goes.
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